Cures for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

There are many different products and procedures available to treat, and even cure, carpal tunnel syndrome. But, the condition shouldn't be left untreated.

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

• Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which the median nerve, the nerve that passes into the hand from the forearm through the carpal tunnel, becomes compressed. Compression occurs due to factors such as injury (wrist fracture) or, as is most often the case, repetitive overuse and bad ergonomics.
  According to the U.S Dept. of Labor and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), carpal tunnel syndrome is the #1 reported medical problem to date. It makes up nearly 50% of all work-related injuries. Approximately one-fourth of all computer operators are diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, and over 60% of all work-related repetitive strain injuries occur in women. Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with this condition than their male counterparts.

Mild Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• In the milder forms of carpal tunnel syndrome, treatments such as anti-inflammatory drugs and wrist splints offer significant relief as well as ongoing prevention from recurrences. The drugs help to decrease inflammation which causes swelling and the splints, which are frequently worn at night, position the wrist so as to reduce compression of the nerve while sleeping.

Injections as Treatment

• Occasionally, mild forms of carpal tunnel syndrome, whose symptom of pain and tingling are sufficiently uncomfortable, have received lasting benefit from undergoing one or more steroid injections directly into the carpal tunnel to provide direct relief to the swollen tissues. This technique allows for the placement of the medication directly where it is need most. The procedure requires skill on the part of the person performing the injection so the steroid is not injected directly into the nerve or tendons.

Surgical Procedures

• When symptoms are severe enough, then surgical intervention is needed to relieve the pressure from the nerve and prevent reduce the potential for ongoing damage to the nerve from this pressure. One such procedure is the "open" carpal tunnel release procedure. This procedure consists of an incision over the appropriate area in the palm of the hand and wrist, isolating the transverse carpal ligament (the structure providing pressure on the nerve and then incising the ligament to relieve the pressure. Because this is a surgical procedure, it requires an anesthetic and is commonly performed in a hospital or out-patient surgery center.

Alternative Approach

• Another variation of surgery is the "endoscopic" carpal tunnel release. This procedure relies on the use of a tiny, rigid fiberoptic "scope" consisting of a lens and camera to visualize the median nerve, surrounding structures and the undersurface of the transverse carpal ligament. Under direct, endoscopic vision, the transverse carpal ligament is cut through its entire thickness from the bottom up. This procedure is typically performed through two small "stab wounds", thus making it a minimally-invasive procedure compared to the "open" approach.